Vacuum pump system



Dec. 2, 1925- RICHARD v cvum Pam? SYSTEM Filed April 15, 1-920 5 Sheets-Shet 1 Dec. 22 1925. 1,566,428

' E. c. RICHARD VACUUM-YUM? SYSTEM Fil ed April 1920 s Sheets-Sheet 5 swoon-t e,

E enec.&chwi

?atented Dec. 22, 1925.

nat ve a ne s tate EUGENE J. RICHARD, 0F FLINT. MICEIIGAN; ASSIGHOE E0 GENERfiL MGEQRS (3G???- PORiiTION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN. A CORPORATION 01' DELAWARE.

VACUUM PUMF BYSTEM.

Application filed April 15, 1920. Serial No. $24,177.

To all whom it may concern:

Es it known that I, .EUGENE C. RICHARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Flint, county of Genesee. and State of Michigan have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Pump Systems of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, such as will enabie others skilled in the art to which the invention relates to make ard use the same, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification. c

v This invention relates to'internal combustion engine fuel feeding systems of the vacuum type wherein liquid fuel is supplied to the engine from a main reservoir located at a lower level. It is well known that under certain conditions, the suction in devices as heretofore employed is not sufiicient to create the proper vacuum efiect in the vacuum tank to elevate the fuel from the reservoir. It is one of the objects of this invention to overcome this dilficulty by providing a device that will insure suction enough under all conditions to create a sufiicient vacuum in the tank to cause the transfer of fuel from the reservoir to the tank in suflicient quantities to supply the carburetor.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a suction transformeniutensitier or booster for the main suction device that is controlled by means associated with the operation of the engine in such a manner that it is caused to operate only under certain en ine conditions.

Anot er object of the invention resides in the construction, operation of the valves and valve operating mechanisms in the difi'erent parts of the structure and in certain other details of construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and claims:

In the drawings I Fig.1 is a side elevation of the device, as

applied to a motor vehicle.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the intakev and venturi device, parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the venturi forming member with the cap removed.

Fig. is a vertical section of the vacuum tunln parts broken away.

arrangements, and- Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the upper portion of the tank showing the double valve and valve operating mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the tank in the line 66, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing a modified form of dump valve.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of another and in some respects. a preferred form of the device as applied to the engine.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the some, parts being broken away. 7

Fig. 10 is a vertical section of another modified form of the device.

11 is a side elevation of still another modified form of the device.

Referring to the drawings, the number i designates the intake manifold, 2 the carbureter, 3 the throttle valve, and e a receptacle or vacuum tank of an internal com.- hustion engine. The receptacle or tank 4 maybe separate from, or connected to the carbureter, but for the purpose of illustration it is shown as being separate from the carburetor and spaced therefrom.

' The vacuum tank 4 which may be of any shape or material and formed in any conveuient manner is preferably composed of tvvo chambers: viz, vacuum chamber 9 which may be termed the intermediate ciian'ibcr and the lower chamber 10 separated from the vacuum chamber 9 by a dia phragm or partition 11 and which supplies the carburcter with fuel received from the intermediate vacuum chamber.

, An upper or overflow chamber 6 may he providedbut in localities Where the overflow of the tank is unlikely this chamloer may he dispensed with. As shown, the cap 5 is provided with this overflow chamber. although it may be formed in any other convenient manner.

The cap 3' forms closure :tor the upper or overflow chamber 6 and has an. air passage 8 communicating with a pipe 13 attached to the portion 12 of the ca The other end of the pipe l3 leads to t e carburetor 2, as disclosed in my copending application Serial Number 331,465 filed Got. 17, 15519.

Mounted within the overflow charnh r *3 is the vertically movable float it which of any form and mounted in any conve' cot manner. This float carries the valve 1% 3 closing the passage 8 when the fuel rt. :1

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said overflow chamber beyond a predetermined point. The valve may be mounted in any co ivenient manner, but as shown, it is fixed relatively to the float. As shown, the float has guiding s aiudles and 17 which enga e in the passage 8, and in a recess in the f? oat guide rod 18, respectively. The cover which may be made from a single piece of metal is rovided with the fuel tion with the overflow chamber 6; and at its other end with a passage 25, which in turn is in communication with the air vent orassage 26 communicating with the interme late chamber. The passage 26 may be .formed in the screw plug 27, or in any other convenientman'ner. Access is had to the plug 27 through the aperture 84 which mav be closed by the screw plug 85.

A passage or exhaust vent 36 preferablv in alia'nment with the passage 26 aflords communication between the exhaust passa 20 and the intermediate chamber.

Slidably mounted in the laterally extendns portions 28 of the depending portion 23.

are the connected valves 37 which may be termed a double valve and which are adapted to a ternatelv, close the passaqes 26 and 36.

The valves 37 are operated by two lever arms pivoted to the depending portion 23, hv me ns of the Znin 29. The arms oi this le er are preferably made from sheet metal c"ta d bent to proper form. The shorter arm-30 ee Firz. 6) is composed of the bodv n t 'n 33. t e laterally extending arms 31.

nd e p ra lel perforated ears 32 twisted "f ri'rht angles thereto. and-engaging the,

pm. 1 4 D The lever arm-30 has a connection with the al es 3'7 'to operate the same. As shown.

- th hod portion of the lever arm 30 has a notch 34 that enaaa'es a reduced portion 35 be w n the valves 37.

Th louver lever arm 43 has a bodv portion 38 having forwardlv extending parallel anertured cars 39 twisted at right angles to t e hodv vnortion' 38 and engaging the pivot 'pin29. i'he said body portion 38 has furcafinns in) extending rearwardly and laterallv. A spring 4i connects each end of 'thelaterallv extending arms 3] with the o ter e d of the corresponding t'urcation l0.

. S h'oulders 41' on the depending portion,

limit the moven'ients of the longer lever arm 43, the arrang nnent being such that the springs may pass dead center in either direction.

A float 42 in the intermediate and vacuum chamber has a connection to operate the longer lever arm 43 of theoperating mechanism for the valves 37. This connection may be of any appropriate form. As shown, the float is mounted on a sleeve Mslidably mounted on the guide rod-18. The sleeve,

is shown. cxtends above the float and is re vided with shoulders 45, 45 engaging'a ove andbelow the furcations 40 of the longer lever arm 43.

A fitting 46 is secured to the partition 11 and has a depending portion 47 with a passage 4:8 thercthrongh connecting the intermediate and lower chambers. The 'lower and of thepassage 48 is closed by the dam valve 49 secured to the depending portion 4 by one or more screws 50, in such a manner as to permit a limited pivotal mo .nent of the valve 49.

The valve 49 is positively operated in one direction-by mechanism operated by the float and in the other direction by tne counterweight 51. The valve is located normally below the level of the gliquid fuel in the tends slightly above the slcew 53 and is enraged by the integral extension 54 of the longer lever arm 43. 'lhe'arrangement of the rod 52 and extension 54 is such that the extension does not engage the rod until at p the moment the valve 37 closes the pas sage 36.

In the modified form. shown in Fig. 7, the dump valve 49 is closed by a light spring '55 mounted on the pivot screw 56. One or more pivot screws w th their springs may be employed.

Assuming that the intermediate chamber 'is empty, the valves 37 will be in the position shown in Fig. 5 and the valve 49 will he closed. The air in' the chamber 9 will bear;-

hausted through the passages 36 and 20 thus causing the fuel to enter from the main reservoir through the passage 19. -The fuel rising in the chamber, 9 causes the float 42 to rise thus raising the lever arm 43. Whenthe lever arm 43 has been raised sufiiciently to cause the springs 41 to pass the fulcrum pin 29. the levers 30'and 43 will be caused to quickly operate the valves 37 to open the passage-26 and close the passage 36 and simultaneously open the,- dump valve 49.

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memes The closing of the passage 36"cuts ofitho suction and the opening of the passage 26 permits air to enter the chemher 9 through the pipe 13 pessngc 8, chamber 6 and passages 2%, 25 and 26 into the-chamber 9 re-. storing it to atmospheric pressure. The opening of the dump valve permits the fuel to pass'through to the lower chamber and into the carburetor through the passage 57 and pipe 58. T

An air duct 66 arranged externally of the tank, connecting the chambers 6 and 10, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, establishes communication between them, to thus permit air to pass from one chamber to the other.

Should the vehicle be in 21 position in which the main reservoir is above the vacuum tank While the valves are in the position shown in Fig. 4, the fuel will con-.

tinue to enter through the passage 1.9, filling the some; and running through the essages 26, 25 and 24 into the overflow chain 1', will cause the flost'le therein to, rise and. close the passage 15, thereby preventing the fuel from overflowing into the carburetor.

A main suction or exhaust pipe 59 is attouched to the exhaust passage 20 and is connccted to the intake manifold beyond. the throttle valve 3. As illustrated in Fig. 2, this connection is made by means of a venturi device 60. v

A suction intensifier or venturi device 60 is employed to assist in lowering the pressure inthe vacuum tank 4:, and it is immaterial how this device is associated 'with the main suction arrangement; In the preferred form, however, the venturi has one end of the passage 61 containing the re- 68, slidably mounted, in an enlarged portion of a passage through the cup 69 which is' screw-threaded to the outer end of vcnturi device. A light spring 70 presses the valve 67' against the seats 72 and 73 on the outer end of the venturi. One or more apertures '1" 1 in the enlarged outer end 6! affords a passage "for air into the recess 66.

To the outer end of the cap 69 is attached one end of the tube 74, the other end of which is secured to some portion of the engirls that produces suction thst varies inversely as the suction above the throttle. As shown tube 74 is secured to the intake passage 75'from the recess in the vulva stem, communicates with the churnherlormcd hy the cup 69.

By the shove urrun' ement, it will be seen that there is a passage leading from the intelrs above the-throttle to the inner side of the" valve 67, and a. passage leading from theintake just below the throttle valve to the outer side (if valve 67.

It is Well known that when an engine is running with the throttle nearly closed, the suction shove the, throttle is considerably greater than'thst below it, and that the (lit fercnce decreases as the throttle is opened until the suctionon the two sides becomes equalized.

This principle is taken advantage of, to automatically operate the valve mechanism described above. I

It will be noted that the tires of the valve on the scat72 is much less than thereon the seat 73.

. The spring 70 tends to hold "the valve 6?,

on the valve seat 72 at ell times. Hence, in starting the engine, no air is received. into the manifold to interfere with the starting of the engine. This feature I regard nsnn im rtant one.

'lo the valve 67 is seated, the airis c2:- hausted from the vacuum tank through. whet may he termed the main suction device, i; c.,

at 83 just below the throttle valve A 7 wil through the pipe 59 and passages 63, 64, end

61. In other words, the venturi does not function, as such. j I

As the throttle is--opened,the suction on each side of the valve becomes more and more nearly equalized, until the suctlon 0 crating on the larger area on the outer slde of the valve, overcomes that operating. on the relatively small area on the inner side of the valve, causes the valve to become unseated against the tension of the spring, and air entering through the passage 71 and through. the venturi boosts or intensifies the suction in the main suction device. In other words, when the sub-atmospheric pressure on each side of the. valve 67 becomes nearly equalized the pressure of the air through the apertures 71-unseats the valve against the tension of the spring and the air enters the venturi. l

It is to be understood that this suction transformer or vcnturi device is not limited in its use to the particular form. of'tank described above, as it may be used equally'us well on other forms of vacuum tanks.

The arrangement of the spring and valve mechanism is is automation] y unseatcd when the throttle is about three-fourths open. since under ordulnry conditions, with the throttle less open, the main suction device is sufhcicnt to supply the vacuum tank with fuel. The arrangement, however. may be varied so thst iii I from the vacuum is such that the throttle is'opened to a considerable extent.

the valve will become unscutcd at other positions of the throttle.

By-this arrangement it will be noted that the is introduced into the intake manifold during comparatively open throttle con iitio'ns, and the introduction of air into the mixture at this time hasbeen found to aid in its combustion. f 1 v In Figs. Sand 9,, There shown a valve for the venturi as being manually operated. This valve may be operated b any convenient means within reach of t e operator of the-'car.- As shown, it is operated by the throttle control. The spring-pressed valve 67'- mounted 'inthe cap 69 has its stem slotted as at to receive a cum member" 76,

having a cam face 77 that engages a roller 78 Within the outer portion of the slot; The

spring vnormallytends to hold 3 the valve closed and it is opened by the cam face 77 engaging the roller 78. The cam member 76 is pivotaliy attached to an extension 79 on the throttle operating arm 86. It will be noted that-the cam and valve arrangement the valve remains closed until The arrangement may be varied to suit circumstances and conditions.

In the modification shown in Figure 11, a moving fluid from some source is caused to pass through a'venturi which exhausts the air from the vacuum 0 amber. shown, the venturi- 60' is 560111 id to the exhaust manifold 81. Exhaust gases pass through the venturi into the air, preferably through a muiiier, thus cxhsusting'the air chamber 4 through the pipe 5 9, and causing the fuel to flow through the pipe 22 into the said chamber.

Since the suction or pressure in the intake and exhaust vary inversely, instead of connecting the outer end of the tube 7% to the intake anterior to the throttle, as shown in Fig. 2, it may be connected to the exhaust assage 81 in any manner. As shown in E ig. 10, this is accomplished by attaching the outer'end of the tube 74' to the venturi 60 at 88'. The exhaust gases passing through the venturi, preferably through a mufiler 82, create a suction in the tube. 74, that vari inversely as the suction in the device. In this form, as in th form shown-in Fi 2, the difierential suction in the main sing auxiliary devices, will operate While Ihave described what I deem to be a preferred form of'my invention, it Will be obvious that; various changes and modifications may he made, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof asindicated'jn the appended claims. Y

I claim:

1. In combination with the intake passage of an internal combustion engine, a chamber into which fuel for said engine is to be lifted,

fuel thereto from a lower level mousse means for utilizing the suction in said passage for creating a more intense suction for lifting the fuel to said chamber, said means including a valve having a portion normally exposed to atmospheric pressure, and a spring for closing the some, 5nd means associated'with the operation of the engine for opening the va ve.

2. In combination with the intake passe e of an internal combustion engine, t s throttle therefor, and a fuel supplymg orifice opening into' said manifold, means comprising a venturi device for intensifying suction derived from said manifold as compared to that existin at said orifice and for applying saidintensi ed suction for lifting fuel to be supplied to said orifice, said means also including a valve and means tending to close the. same, and means associated with the operation of the engine for controlling the operation of said valve, said last named means operating only when the throttle has opened to a predetermined amount.

3. In a mechanism of the class described including tion engine, the combir IiZiOIl of a main suction device, an auxiliar suction device having a, passage therethrough, a valve for saig passage, a'spring for normally closing sai valve, and means associated with the operation of the engine for opening said valve only when the throttle has been opened apredetermined amount.

4. In an internal combustion engine fuel feeding system of the vacuum ty a throttle for said enginefla vacuum taniifa conduit for conveying'hquid fuel thereto. from a lower level reservoir, a suction device in cluding a suction intensifier provided with a normally closed valve, and means controlled by said throttle for o ening said valve to intensify the suction, substantiall as gesc 'bed. 5. In a mechanism of the mass ibod, including a throttle mechanism for internal combustion engines, the combination of a vacuum tank, suction means associated with a throttle for an internal combus--- the operation of the engine for lowering the pressure in said tanlqsaid means havin a normally closed valve associated therewith,

valve being movable by said throttlesaid mechanism permitting the flow of a continnous stream of fluid through said means only when said throttle hasloeen opened a predetermined amount, substhntially' asidescribed. F

6. In an internal combustion engine fuel feeding system of the vacuum type, a vacuum tank, a conduit for conveying guld reservoir, a main suction device for lowering the pressure, in said tank, artauxiliary suction device comprising a venturi for assisting in lowering the pressure in said tank, sald auxiliary suction device hsvn a passage therethrough, a valve for the sol passage, a

' spring normally closing said valve, and

means incident to the operation of the en-' gine for opening said valve to permit Said auxiliary suction device to become operative to assist in lowering the suction in said vacuum tank.

7. In a device of the class described, a suction intensifier including a device having a venturipassage therethrough and a valve for closing one end of saidpassage, and a spring for closing said valve.

8. In an internal combustion engine fuel feeding system of the vacuum type a main suction device for lowering the pressure i the vacuum tank, an auxiliary suction device including. a venturi' for assisting in lowering the, pressure in said tank, a passage through said venturi, a valve spring pressed to close said passage and manually operated means for opening said valve.

9. A venturi suction device having a main member and a member extending laterally therefrom, a passage having a restricted portion through said main member, a-passage through said laterally extending member communicating with said restricted portion, and a spring pressed valve closing the outer end of the passage in said main member, and a cam member adapted to beoperated by throttle controlling means for lift ing saidvalve from its seat, substantially as described.

10. A vacuum tank for fuel feeding systems, including an upper vacuum chamber,

a lower fuel receptacle, a partition between said chamber and receptacle, a cover for said tank, said cover having an air vent, an

exhaust vent and a fuel passage therein a double valve for alternately'opening an closing said vents, a float in said chamber, a lever mechanism operated by said float for actuating said valves, a dump valve between said chamber and receptacle and means operated by the valve actuating levers for opening said dump valve simultaneously with the closing of said suction vent and the 1 opening of said air vent, and means for closingsaid dump valve, substantially'as describe 11. In a vacuum tank having a cover, and a float therein, an air passage and exhaust passage through said cover, a single doubleacting valve integrally connected for opening and closin said passages, a dump valve means operate j by said float for actuating saiddouble-acting valve and for. "opening the dump valve, and a weight for closing the dump valve, substantially as described.

.12. A cover for vacuum tanks havin a fuel passa etherethrough, anda fuel de ector at the bottom of said passage: a chamber 1n the upper portion thereof and a cap for said chamber; 9. depending portion havin suction and air assages'therethrough; an means on said epending portion for supporting valves to close said suction and air passages and other means for supporting the'valve o crating mechanism, substantially as descr1 ed. a i

13. In a fuel feeding system for internal combustion engines, a rece tacle for supplying fuel to the engine, a ower level reservoir, means for transferring said'fuel from said reservoir to said receptacle, said means including a venturi and a valve therefor, and means independent of the suction of the engine connected with the throttle for opening said valve by the 'o eration of said throttle when said throttle has been moved-a predetermined distance. J a

14. In a. fuel feeding system, for internal combustion engines a receptacle for I supplying fuelto the engine, a lower level reservoir, a throttle for said engine, means for utilizin the suction of said engine for conveying uel from said reservoir to said receptacle, and manually controlledmeans for continuously intensifying said suction, said last named means being inoperative during the initial movement of said thrdttln from closed position.

' In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EUGENE C. RICHARD. 

